December 2015 Sightings

Temperatures back up to the 75 in the late afternoon. Listed are those found between 3:30 and 5 PM.

Two days of clouds, wind and rain,turn into a sunny cold Nov.4th. Mid day warmed into the 60s and a few butterflies warmed enough to take to the air.

A warm sunny day after several days of clouds and some rain. 77 degrees, breezy. Mid-morning yard survey. Soldier is uncommon in central Florida and multiples even more uncommon. Three individual males photographed.

Sunny 60s, with patchs of clouds, and light northerly breeze.

Not a high number of individuals but nice species diversity nonetheless.

windy and mild

Bright blue skies most of the day with temps in the 60s (high of 68). In addition to those noted, I saw a checkered-skipper that disappeared before I could id the species

Overcast skies. 2-hrs late morning

22 species. Highlights were Dorantes Longtail, Southern Dogface, Blue Metalmark, female Mazans Scallopwing and the ever popular Red-bordered Pixie!

Hammock Skipper. Resighting. First seen by Ron Smith on Nov 24. Nectaring on sleepy morning (Waitheria indica)

Monarchs are still filtering into the area, and are being seen more that 50 miles inland; by this time they should be expected to be in the thickets along the Gulf Of Mexico.

Interesting leps continue at the park. Today’s late afternoon cast were all found by the Mulberry Trees Area. Very windy. Leps were hard to photograph. Ministreak on bidens. Mallow on sleepy morning.

In my yard in Trinity

30 species. Highlights were Reakirt’s Blue, Tailed Orange, Clytie Ministreak, more Gulf Fritillaries and Lantana Scrub-Hairstreak.

Nice day temp in mid 70s,and sunny AM a few clouds late afternoon.

Monarchs are early for the past few days, before 9AM.

Mating pair of Tropical Checkered-Skippers photographed by Dorothy.

68 and sunny

Absent today Monarch and Gulf Fritillary. Weather was still good; 50s over night with SE wind and the high was in the mid 70s.

Warm day, reaching 75-degrees.

Sunny, 74

10 species of hairstreaks this afternoon. The Black Hairstreak is a Lifer for me. Nice to get a dorsal of the Pearly-gray Hairstreak.

Record high temp in region made for exciting searching. Variegated Frits represent new late date for state. Total of (33) sulphurs found.

Record warm temps reaching into upper 60’s made for great searching for late season hardy species. Variegated Frits represent a new late date for the species in the state. Not all sulphurs closely looked at for actual species. Total of (28) sulphurs found.

With Dusty Rhodes. Temp. 80F, light wind, mix of sun and clouds. One hour observation.

Monarch flying and landing on dried up hydrangea flower heads, and then on grass blades probably looking for dew/moisture as a source of water/energy No nectar flower around from observation except for some Knock-out roses in bloom.

Temps during the day were in the mid to upper 70s, clear with southerly winds.The trek to Fish River point was to try to ID a colony of small yellow butterflies or moths that had been sighted along the road leading to the point. None were located.

With rain now and cold coming, this may be the last butterfly of the year. High of 66 today but that is about to change.

There was a patch of flowers outside the butterfly garden that was quite good. One of the few Dainty Sulphurs in the last few months. 27 species. Highlights were Variegated Fritillary, Sleepy Orange, Funereal Duskywing, Turk’s-cap White-Skipper and Desert Checkered-Skipper.

Two chance sightings while working.

The Ocola Skippers that still around are becoming well worn.

My first up-close encounter with Telea. It really stood out among the other hairstreaks present.

With Jane Lampkin and Rob and Jan Epstein.
Quick late-afternoon stop to check for Mallow Scrub-Hairstreaks and Hammock Skippers. Mallows yes, Hammocks no. Pic shows very fresh Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak

Observations made near the visitor center gardens in late afternoon.

Temps reached 76-77 today. Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak still flying, this time near the Gulf Pier. A good count of Great Southerns, though the 3 fresh ones wouldn’t pose long.

Warm and sunny. Few bidens as area had been recenty mowed.

The Ruddy Hairstreak was at Bentsen SP, the Vicroy’s Ministreak 1 mile away at the National Butterfly Center.

Temps 68-72 Early morning, cloudy

Pearly-gray Hairstreak at Bentsen SP, White Scrub-hairstreak nearby at the National Butterfly Center.

42 species. Santa has brought lots of butterflies to the NBC! (The White Scrub-Hairstreak was found by others.) Our first Pearly-gray Hairstreak.

I saw one Monarch in the yard. I have milkweed and have seen 4 caterpillars on my plant just this month. Pictures taken most recently was on 12/23/15

Between the rain showers a few butterflies took to the air.

With Jane Lampkin and Jemma Lampkin
mid 80’s, strong sun
Pic shows Pygmy Blue on its larval host plant, Annual Glasswort, Salicornia bigelovii
Also 2 unidentified blues, Cassius or Ceraunus

This male Orange-barred Sulphur showed up at lunchtime on December 26th. A front moved in on the 27th. It has been a number of years since seeing this species in the area. Emailed Don Dubois, the butterfly guru of our local NABA chapter. I live next to Galveston Bay; Don lives caddy-corner—70 miles across the Houston area. He gave me permission to quote him:

“The orange-barred sulphurs were reasonably common in 2008 and 2009 but then disappeared until this year when I saw single individuals in July and August. In 2008 and 2009 there were up to eight at a time in the yard and they were present for six month stretches both years.”

Our freakishly warm winter has kept butterflies flying way past their normal flight periods. Temp was 76F at observation.

It was stopping to check out the dandelion flowers in my lawn. Milder-than-usual weather most of the month, but this is the latest (earliest?)I’ve ever seen an active butterfly here.

Record high temps continue, with a high of 68 degrees today. Finding hardy butterflies and seeing forsythia confused into blooming, made for a day more like April in South Jersey. Variegated Frit sightings mark (I believe) a record late date for the state. Eighteen sulphurs seen, not all identified fully.

Larval Atalas present on Coonties also.

Canola,and Spanish Needles are the food sources;with the yellow flowers of canola producing the most sightings.

A nice selection of leps on the last day of the year. Fla Year (139).